Murder trial halted when woman takes plea deal

A woman called by prosecutors a central figure in a 2022 mistaken-identity killing accepted a plea agreement Wednesday, halting her first-degree murder trial.

Diamond Salazar, 21, pleaded guilty late Wednesday afternoon to second-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, the 2nd Judicial District Attorney's Office said.

The plea deal came on the third day of Salazar's trial in the March 25, 2022, shooting death of 28-year-old Kayla Montaño outside an Albuquerque gas station. The 2nd Judicial District Court trial had been expected to continue into next week before Judge Courtney Weaks.

Salazar faces up to 24 years in prison at a sentencing hearing scheduled for Oct. 18.

Salazar was being tried for first-degree murder, aggravated battery, three counts of aggravated assault and on other charges. If jurors had convicted her of first-degree murder, Salazar could have faced at least 30 years in prison.

Prosecutors said in opening statements on Monday that Salazar set in motion events that led to the mistaken-identity killing in the parking lot of the Maverik convenience store on Princeton NE near Comanche and Interstate 25.

Salazar’s attorney, Keren Fenderson, told jurors that responsibility for Montaño’s killing lay with the three teenage boys who opened fire on a vehicle.

Salazar had been traumatized by a robbery earlier that day in which two masked men demanded money from Salazar and a 16-year-old companion at an Albuquerque park, Fenderson said.

Salazar was terrified that the two gunmen would show up at the Maverik and attempt to harm Salazar, Fenderson said.

Fenderson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

Montaño was fatally shot moments after she, her fiancé, Johnathan Dematties, her 7-year-old daughter and two other adults stopped at the Maverik on their way to Topgolf.

As they pulled up to a gas pump, three teenage boys pulled guns and fired about 30 gunshots at their black sport utility vehicle, striking Montaño in the head and injuring Dematties.

Salazar did not fire a weapon, but prosecutors told jurors that she initiated the shooting by identifying the SUV as the vehicle involved in the robbery earlier that day.

Three teenagers have pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the killing.

Adam Sedillo, 18, faces up to 10 years in prison. Ty Ashton Gallegos, 18, was sentenced in July to 10 years in prison. Estevan Damian Lucero, 16, faces up to 24 years in prison at a sentencing hearing scheduled for Sept. 18.

A fifth co-defendant, Caprice Sicilia, 20, testified Monday in Salazar’s trial. Her case remains pending in 2nd Judicial District Court.